Smithtopia: November and December Happenings

I am not very good at blogging. I constantly find myself looking at least a months happenings and feeling overwhelmed by the fact that I have blogged nothing. It is feast or famine with me. Anyways, Madison and I are taking off for Happy Valley tomorrow and this is my last chance to get caught up so here we go!

Meet Thomas the Turkey! It is a tradition in our house that at the beginning of the month of November we make a turkey and than spend the month feeding him with our grateful thoughts. We stuff him with little papers filled with gratitude and than on Thanksgiving we carve him and read all the wonderful thoughts. This is one great tradition for which I give thanks to my fantastic mother-in-law Gaylene.

This is the pathetic little pile of leaves that our one tree gave us this year. Maddie has been waiting with high anticipation for them to fall off the tree so she could do this.........

and

this!

This is Madison's sweet, fantastic, and very lovely preschool teacher Ms. Karlene. This was taken at the preschools' wonderful Thanksgiving dinner where we all stuffed ourselves with some Southern Thanksgiving food.

So I have always had a bit of a fascination for Gone With the Wind(I was Scarlett for Halloween when I was sixteen-hoop skirt and all). Although my Mother will probably deny it I do believe that is where the inspiration for my name Tara Shannon came from. While Dan's parents were visiting we went to the Margaret Mitchell Museum in Atlanta and learned more about her life and writings.

Cute Smith Family

This year we decided to shake things up a bit and make a Gingerbread Train.

It was a big hit (although a tad bit more complicated to keep together)!

Ta-Da

We also put up our tree a couple of days before Thanksgiving (interject gasp of horror). Maddie really wanted to have Grandparents there when we did it and we were going to be in Alabama for Thanksgiving-hence the tree.

Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain GA

Madison was not feeling the camera.

I love this picture. We sure are going to miss you guys while you are serving your mission.

Really cool bird show with owls, vultures, and hawks that flew over your head quite close.

I loved this poinsettia tree that Callaway Gardens had on display

The gardens puts on a Light show that is without a doubt the most incredible thing I have ever seen. An hour trolley ride filled with caroling and narration through their insanely large gardens. The lights are amazing and filled with all sorts of stories and moving light displays.